The Badersee Blog

It will be a great sunny day today - a perfect one for a mountain bike tour. The weather allows for a longer tour, so today we will go to Elmau and then back to Lake Badersee. Biking alone would make for a half-day trip, but you shouldn't forget to calculate all the nice places to stop on the way...

Mountaineering is not for everyone. Only the toughest have the endurance to walk uphill for hours. However, hiking should bring joy and make you happy, instead of being a prolongued torture making you unable to enjoy the day out in the nature. The Bavarian Alps in our area offer lots of opportunities to experience the mountains along light routes, enjoying great views and fascinating encounters with nature. Try out hiking with joy.

Lake Walchensee is only 30 kilometres away from Grainau and the Hotel am Badersee. The lake offers tremendous leisure opportunities in any season: swimming or paddling on the turquoise blue water, sunbathing on the lake shore, or trekking around the Walchensee with a magnificent view of the lake topped with a panorama of the famous Herzogstand. And, of course, you can make a cozy stop at the 'Waldschänke Niedernach' or at a pub in the village of Walchensee.

The so-called Philosophers' Trail ('Philosophenweg') connects Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Farchant. On this easy, cosy hike you can enjoy the picturesque surroundings and great views all year round.

The hike to the Höllentalangerhütte via the Stangensteig Trail is definitely one of the most picturesque alpine treks in Grainau. The route from Hammersbach through the Hell Valley is known to many mountaineers who climbed Mount Zugspitze on foot. Our hike took place late in May 2019, when the upper part of the route was still partly under snow.

The Second Section takes the hiker from Eschenlohe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The 16 km long section goes through the meadows and moor landscapes, past the famous 'Seven Springs'. If you are in the mood for more, you can make a detour to the Kuhflucht Waterfalls, one of the highest waterfalls in Germany. And the fantastic panorama of the Alps lies before your eyes all the time. Here we go!

The Spitzenwanderweg Trail would be my tenth long distance trail that will definitely bring me a few more insights into the German natural and cultural landscape. It would be the trail with the highest altitudes as well, and I find this really impressive. However, the first sections are easy, so you can gradually gain tempo and get used to the trail.

This article was written in cooperation with the Mountain Rescue Service of Grainau (Bergwacht Grainau).

Summer is the hiking season in the Alps. Here are a few tips that are essential for a safe stay in the mountains.

What makes a perfect holiday? Taking into account the impressive choice of outdoor activities in our holiday region Grainau, it is sometimes not that easy to make a choice. In the first turn it is important who you are traveling with. This time my mother is there - 72 years old, an enthusiastic hiker as long as the trail is not so steep. It should be a trail that we can start directly from the hotel and preferably classified as 'easy'. After a brief search we decide to spend our day tomorrow on the Kramer Plateau Trail (in German 'Kramerplateauweg').

Located just a few meters from the Hotel am Badersee, the tiny Lake Badersee is a real gem in the majestic crown of the Bavarian Alps, the Wetterstein chain. The lake lies idyllically in the Alpine landscape in the heart of an age-old mountain forest, just 3 kilometers from the Mount Zugspitze summit. Let us invite you on a tour of the Badersee!

A friend is coming to visit, so a bike tour would be a great option for a day trip. We need a nice route with some 40 kilometres. The Häselgehr waterfall near Ehrwald would be a perfect match for the occasion. This relatively even route would let anyone enjoy a relaxed bike ride.

Lake Plansee is a picturesque lake in the Ammergau Alps, and it is also perfect for swimming on hot summer days. With its surface area of 3 km², the Plansee is the second largest natural lake in Tyrol. The lake is easily accessible from the Hotel am Badersee by mountain bike or e-bike.

The Wieskirche, or the Pilgrimage Church of Wies, is one of the most visited churches in Germany with visitor numbers exceeding 1 mln annually. No wonder that tourists from all over the world are willing to visit the church, which is a pretty rococo gem framed into a splendid nature landscape. It is also no wonder that the Wieskirche was admitted on the UNESCO World Culture Heritage List in 1983.

Lake Eibsee is one of the most famous and picturesque alpine lakes. You can walk the circular trail around the lake, here you would discover plenty of small bays for bathing and lying in the sun. On hot summer days a spring in the cool blue water (never warmer than 18 degrees centigrade!) is a very special pleasure. Even when the trails around the lake are very busy on sunny days, on the water you can still enjoy lots of space and quiet. Therefore our tip for today: paddling!

The 'Spitzenwanderweg' was introduced just a few years ago. This long distance trail leads you in 12 sections across 200 kilometers through the picturesque manifold landscape of the Zugspitze region. With a total elevation of 6.800 meters, this route is quite sporty.

Following in the footsteps of King Ludwig II, our hike today brings you from the idyllic resort of Grainau to the Bavarian king's favourite castle. The picturesque forest route goes past the Loisach River and takes the hiker around Mount Kramer. On the way you would enjoy magnificent mountain views along with streaming water of any kind. And at the end of the tour Linderhof Castle invites you for a visit. Don't miss the opportunity for a guided tour through the small but impressive castle.

The Eighth Section of the Spitzenwanderweg Trail promises great views of the surrounding alpine ranges as well as into the valley, it takes the hiker along the most popular routes in the alpine village of Grainau. While the previous sections were quite demanding with multiple hundreds of vertical meters to climb, the route in Section 8 goes mainly downhill. In addition, you would visit the spectacular Höllentalklamm Gorge. The trail provides for refreshment stops as well: the 'Höllentalangerhütte' in the middle of the route and the 'Klammeingangshütte' ('Höllentalklamm Entrance Chalet') keep their doors open for the hikers.

Our today's hike for experienced alpinists starts and finishes in Hammersbach in Grainau. Along the alpine routes over Kreuzeck and Hochalm, following to the Hupfleitenjoch Saddle and further through the famous Hell Valley Gorge, you would discover the mountains in Grainau in all their beauty and enjoy the most picturesque sites.

Along its 25 kilometers the third Section of the Spitzenwanderweg long-distance trail in the Zugspitze Region offers multiple highlights and fantastic views. Starting at the foot of the famous Olympic ski jumping hill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, across the nature theatre in the Partnachklamm Gorge to the amazing panoramic views of the Wetterstein and the Karwendel chains, this is a way of nature wonders and discovery.

A visit to the Open Air Museum Glentleiten is one of the best family trips you can make in Bavaria. During the whole summer season, 'from St. Joseph till St. Martin'  (in Bavarian 'von Josephi bis Martini') – that is, from 19th March till 11th November, - Glentleiten lets you experience the best of the Bavarian tradition. For big and small. Even in rainy weather.

The town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps should definitely be on your to-do list when you visit Germany. Try out this relaxed route to discover this idyllic neighborhood and feel the spirit of Bavarian tradition and history. 

Lake Seebensee is an alpine lake located near Ehrwald in Tyrol at 1,657 m altitude in the Mieminger Mountains below the Coburger Hut amid the idyllic high alpine terrain. The lake can be reached from Ehrwald or Biberwier on several hiking routes, on a climbing tour or from Ehrwald by mountain bike. The tour is also possible with cablecar support.

What does it look like, a perfect holiday in autumn? A video is worth a thousand words.

Autumn has arrived in the Alps. The trees boast a colourful dress in yellow, orange and red, the highest peaks are already covered with snow, but the days are still sunny and warm. A wonderful time for hikes and tours through our amazing alpine landscape. Before the Höllentalklamm gorge and the surrounding trails get closed for the winter, I will make another tour through the gorge to Hochalm.

If you once traveled through the Pfaffenwinkel area, you definitely noticed the mountain with a prominent church on it, which stands out on the relatively flat surrounding landscape with its almost 1.000 meters height. What makes this mountain a popular tourist attraction and what was the vision of the Bavarian prince-elector Max III, who introduced this place at the international level?

A sunrise has something magical about it - perhaps that ability to provoke delight in the heart of every photographer and nature lover. On holiday, you would mostly watch a sunrise at the seaside. Sunrise watching in the mountains is quite a rare opportunity, since you normally have to climb the summit on foot in the dark, or even spend a night high in the mountains. Here in Grainau you can watch a sunrise on Mount Zugspitze without any effort - a great offer for sunrise fans.

Lake Barmsee is a small lake in Bavaria, located in the outskirts of Krün, to the North of Mittenwald, with a size of approx. 1.12 by 0.49 km. Surrounded by the forest and alpine meadows, with the Karwendel mountains in the backdrop, the lake is a popular destination.

Along with hiking, family outings and public celebrations in summer and in winter, Mount Wank is a ski mountaineering destination during the winter season. Due to a relatively low avalanche danger, amazing panoramic views, a picturesque downhill slope and cozy chalets, a winter hike to Mount Wank is worth the effort. This tour is classified as 'moderate' with approx. 1100 vertical meters.

This ski tour is a popular easy winter hike in the Garmisch Classic ski area. It's a perfect tour for beginners, and you can go this route on snowshoes as well. A visit to the Stuibenhütte can also be combined with a day on the slopes in the Garmisch Classic ski area or with longer winter hikes.

The lockdown back in 2020/21 has led to a new boom in skimo mountaineering. Ski lifts and cablecars were closed, so many skiers switched to ski mountaineering and discovered this trendy winter sport. The Garmisch Classic ski area in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a perfect entry point for those who want to try ski tours in a safe and uncomplicated way. Even if the ski area is a bit crowded.

Snow and frost turn the local landscape in the Zugspitze area into a true winter paradise!

What does it look like, a perfect winter holiday? A video is worth a thousand words.

Mount Scheinbergspitze, or simply Scheinberg, is located in the Ammergau Alps between Plansee and Oberammergau. This route is rated among the most avalanche-safe ski mountaineering classics in Bavaria. With some 1000 vertical meters and 3 hours of ascent, the tour is classified as 'moderate'.

You can experience the ultimate snow fun on the slopes without even having to put on your skis or snowboard on. How? Try out the toboggan runs on Mount Zugspitze. That's exactly what we plan to do today.

It snowed overnight and the day promises sunshine along with a breathtaking winter landscape that opens up from the window at the Hotel am Badersee. So, put your shoes on and discover the winter magic on a circular route that first goes to Mount Zugspitze and then down to Lake Eibsee by cablecar and back to Grainau on foot.

This article was written in cooperation with the Mountain Rescue Service of Grainau (Bergwacht Grainau).

Winter attracts millions of tourists and winter sports enthusiasts to the Bavarian Alps. The snow builds the foundation for a unique alpine winter experience in the Zugspitze area. Here a few safety tips for those who spend their winter holiday on the slopes, as well as off-piste with ski mountaineering or snowshoeing.

Once upon a time the Bavarian King Ludwig II came to Lake Badersee. He was so enthusiastic about the place that he wanted to build a castle here. Everyone who has heard about Kind Ludwig II would admit that he was very romantic by nature and chose the very best places for his fairytale castles.